Dampening-brush



, (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. STEVENS.

, DAMPENING BRUSH. No. 307,877.- Patented Nov. 11 1884.

WITNESSES l INVENTOR I J 5 451 w By his .zlztorneys 0 n evens N. PEYERS. FhuIQ-Ulhflgnphnr. Waihington, D. c.

(No M deL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. STEVENS.

DAMPENING BRUSH.

Ila 307,877 Patented.N0-v. 11,1884.

WITNESSES INVENTOR By his Attorneys ,ATENI 'rrrcn.

JOHN STEVENS, OF NEENAH, WVISCONSIN.

DAMPENlNG-BRUSH.

CPECIFICATIOD? forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,877, dated November 11,1884.

Application filed May 1, 1853.

- i" 0 aZZ whom it may concern: Y

useful Improvements in Damping-Brushes for Letter-Books, of which the followi ng is a specification.

My invention has for its object to so construct a damping-brush that it may carry a reservoir of water from which supplies may be drawn directly upon the brush to keep it moist; and it consists in combining with the reservoir-handle and a transverse perforated tube supplied therefrom and discharging along the head of the brush a removable brush that may be renewed when worn; in combining with the reservoir and transverse perforated tube supplied therefrom a brush beneath said tube, and a cap to inclose the brush and keep it moist, and in the various other combina tions and details of construction hereinafter pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings, Figurel is a vertical central section, partly in elevation, through a damping-brush constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse section thereof on the correspondingly-numbered line in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an elevation, partly broken away, ot'an alternative construction; and Fig. 4, a transverse section of the foregoing.

'I he invention may be applied in connection with a camels-hair brush, and in the first two figures I have shown it so; but it has also enabled me to use a sponge instead of a hair brush, and I have found this so desirable and beneficial in its effects, easily kept at just the proper degree of dampness, and moistening the paper evenly, that I am inclined to prefer it, and have therefore shown it in the last two figures.

A is the reservoir, narrowed at one end into the handle A, which is advisably connected with the body portion by a screw-joint, so that it may be removed to give access to the i11- terior, and which forms a continuation of the reservoir. At the end of this liandleis an aperture with a screw-cap, a, through which the brush may be filled; but this aperture and cap may be at any other convenient place. At

the bottom the reservoir is flattened and elongated to about the usual width of dampingbrushes to receive the brush proper. A tube,

(l\'o model.)

a, leads from the reservoir downward into this flattened or elongated portion, and enters a cross-tube, a, which is either beneaththe floor of the reservoir, extending from end to end of the flattened portion, or itself by its imperforate upper half forms a floor. Along the bottom of this transverse tube it is perforated at regular distances'to discharge the water it receives upon the head of the brush beneath. The first or upright tube has a lateral aperture or opening, I), within the reservoir, just above the bottom, which is closed by a valve on one arm of a valve-lever, B, pivoted in ears b from the upper end ofthe tube, or from a bracket or any suitable bridge within the reservoir. A rod, b', is pin jointed to the powerarm of the valve-lever, and passes through a guidecyc in a bridge, 1)", into a lateral recess or extension from the side of the reservoir. At its end it is headed or has a button, and between this button and the bridge is a coiled spring, I), which tends by its force to hold the valve-lever constantly shut, preventing the escape of water from the reservoir. Thislateral recess or chamber 'is closed by a flexible diaphragm, C, advisably made in the form of a screw-cap, that it may be applied and ad justed to the proper position for its work. \Vhen the valve is closed and the diaphragm distended in its normal position, its inner surface is close to the button on the end of the valve-rod, but not exactly in contact therewith. If, however, it is desired to supply water to the brush, the diaphragm will be de pressed by the finger or thumb, forcingin the valve-rod and opening the valve, and at the same time slightly compressing the air within the reservoir to cause a better flow. When released, it will return elastically to its distended state, and the spring-pressed valve-rod will at once close the valve and stop the flow of water.

In using the camels-hair brush D the base of the brush will be confined in a metal head or socket, D, of wedge shape, as shown, and a truncated sleeve open at both ends will be constructed of such size and shape as to receive this socket and allow the brush to project from its own lower and smaller month, while the larger is slipped over and embraces the base of the reservoir. Space will be left between the walls of the socket and of the Ioo sleeve for water to pass through and come in contact with the brush. By removing the sleeve the brush can be withdrawn and changed, supposing it to be worn.'

As already stated, I prefer a sponge, O, to camels hair. With this the metal head or crown is dispensed with, and the lower lips of the sleeve are turned in or serrated, as in Fig. 3. The sponge is cut in a long strip, and the sleeve being removed from the reservoir, it is inserted through the upper or larger mouth and crammed down until a suflicient portion projects beyond the lower lips and is held by their inward bend, or by the serrations. Should the sponge be uneven after having been thus applied, it may be trimmed by shears or scissors; and when it is worn or rotten it can be torn out and a new strip inserted. To keep it from drying rapidly when the brush is not in use, a cap, D, is formed to inclose it and slip upon the sleeve.

The general shape of the fountain-brush as thus described is not materially diiferent from the shape of other dampening-brushes heretofore in use. It will, however, carry a days supply of water, or nearly that, in its reservoir, and the moisture supplied to it will be under better control than where it has to be dipped constantly into a dish.

In Letters Patent No. 288,598, granted to me on the 13th day of November, 1883, I have de scribed and made the subject of the first claim therein the combination, with a reservoir and brush and laterally apertured connectingtube, of a valve, valve-rod, and spring to close the aperture, and a diaphragm above the end of the valve-rod, whereby said rod may be depressed to move the valve and open the aperture; hence I do not herein intend to cover brush, of the reservoir, its educti'on-tube, the

valve-lever closing the eduction-opening, the transverse tube to which the eduction-tube delivers, perforated along its bottom, the

sleeve, and the sponge held by said sleeve be neath the transverse tube.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a fountain dampeningbrush, of the reservoir, its eduotion-tube, the transverse tube to which said eduction-tube delivers, the ears on the eduction-tube, the valve-lever pivoted therein, the valve-rod and its spring, and the diaphragm.

4. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, in a fountain dampeningbrush, of the reservoir, its eduction-tube, the perforated transverse tube to which said eduction-tube delivers, the brush beneath the transverse tube and moistened therefrom, and; the cap to cover said brush and retain the moisture.

JOHN STEVENS. W'itn esses:

RoB'r. SI-rIELLs, ALEX. MoNAUGHToN. 

